Tigers' Skubal faces Orioles in likely final start before trade deadline

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is reportedly on the trade block, with his next start against the Baltimore Orioles widely expected to be his last before the MLB trade deadline on August 3rd. Manager A.J. Hinch, however, emphasized the team's need to win the current series, stating his directive is to secure the win, even if it means Skubal pitches in a potentially final game.

Skubal, who has expressed a desire to stay with the Tigers and lead them to the playoffs, acknowledged that the decision is out of his hands. As a client of prominent agent Scott Boras, he is also set to become a free agent after the season, making a trade highly probable. Instead of dwelling on his future, Skubal stated his focus is on tomorrow's game, aiming to achieve a personal milestone of 1,000 career strikeouts at home.

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I'm going to pitch tomorrow, and I want to do something cool at home (achieve 1000 career strikeouts). That idea has never changed.

Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner in 2024 and 2025, has a 7-5 record with a 2.70 ERA this season, recording 110 strikeouts in 90 innings. The Tigers recently designated catcher Jake Rogers for assignment, potentially to make room for the return of star shortstop Javier Báez, further fueling speculation about impending roster moves.

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My directive is to win this series. Although we can achieve that by winning tonight, I still believe he will start tomorrow.